Bible Readings for January 13, 2015

Today our passages are Genesis 28:1–29:35; Matthew 9:18-38; Psalm 11:1-7; and Proverbs 3:11-12. The readings are theContemporary English Version.  

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Genesis 28-29:35 (Contemporary English Version)

Genesis 28

Isaac's Instructions to Jacob

 ¹Isaac called in Jacob, then gave him a blessing, and said:    Don't marry any of those Canaanite women. ²Go at once to your mother's father Bethuel in northern Syria ^[a] and choose a wife from one of the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother. ³I pray that God All-Powerful will bless you with many descendants and let you become a great nation. ⁴May he bless you with the land he gave Abraham, so that you will take over this land where we now live as foreigners. ⁵Isaac then sent Jacob to stay with Rebekah's brother Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean. 
    

Esau Marries the Daughter of Ishmael

 ⁶Esau found out that his father Isaac had blessed Jacob and had warned him not to marry any of the Canaanite women. He also learned that Jacob had been sent to find a wife in northern Syria ^[b] 7and that he had obeyed his father and mother. ⁸Esau already had several wives, but he realized at last how much his father hated the Canaanite women. ⁹So he married Ishmael's daughter Mahalath, who was the sister of Nebaioth ^[c]and the granddaughter of Abraham.

Jacob's Dream at Bethel

 ¹⁰Jacob left the town of Beersheba and started out for Haran. ¹¹At sunset he stopped for the night and went to sleep, resting his head on a large rock. ¹²In a dream he saw a ladder ^[d] that reached from earth to heaven, and God's angels were going up and down on it. ¹³The LORD was standing beside the ladder ^[e] and said: I am the LORD God who was worshiped by Abraham and Isaac. I will give to you and your family the land on which you are now sleeping. ¹⁴Your descendants will spread over the earth in all directions and will become as numerous as the specks of dust. Your family will be a blessing to all people. ^[f] 15Wherever you go, I will watch over you, then later I will bring you back to this land. I won't leave you--I will do all I have promised. ¹⁶Jacob woke up suddenly and thought, "The LORD is in this place, and I didn't even know it." ¹⁷Then Jacob became frightened and said, "This is a fearsome place! It must be the house of God and the ladder ^[g] to heaven." ¹⁸When Jacob got up early the next morning, he took the rock that he had used for a pillow and stood it up for a place of worship. Then he poured olive oil on the rock to dedicate it to God, ¹⁹and he named the place Bethel. ^[h] Before that it had been named Luz. ²⁰Jacob solemnly promised God, "If you go with me and watch over me as I travel, and if you give me food and clothes ²¹and bring me safely home again, you will be my God. ²²This rock will be your house, and I will give back to you a tenth of everything you give me."     

Genesis 29

Jacob Arrives at Laban's Home

 ¹As Jacob continued on his way to the east, ²he looked out in a field and saw a well where shepherds took their sheep for water. Three flocks of sheep were lying around the well, which was covered with a large rock. ³Shepherds would roll the rock away when all their sheep had gathered there. Then after the sheep had been watered, the shepherds would roll the rock back over the mouth of the well.     ⁴Jacob asked the shepherds, "Where are you from?" 
   "We're from Haran," they answered. 
    ⁵Then he asked, "Do you know Nahor's grandson Laban?" 
   "Yes we do," they replied. 
    ⁶"How is he?" Jacob asked. 
   "He's fine," they answered. "And here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep." 
    ⁷Jacob told them, "Look, the sun is still high up in the sky, and it's too early to bring in the rest of the flocks. Water your sheep and take them back to the pasture." 
    ⁸But they replied, "We can't do that until they all get here, and the rock has been rolled away from the well." 
    ⁹While Jacob was still talking with the men, his cousin Rachel came up with her father's sheep. ¹⁰When Jacob saw her and his uncle's sheep, he rolled the rock away and watered the sheep. ¹¹He then kissed Rachel and started crying because he was so happy. ¹²He told her that he was the son of her aunt Rebekah, and she ran and told her father about him. 
    ¹³As soon as Laban heard the news, he ran out to meet Jacob. He hugged and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him everything that had happened. ¹⁴Laban said, "You are my nephew, and you are like one of my own family." 
   After Jacob had been there for a month, 

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

 ¹⁵Laban said to him, "You shouldn't have to work without pay, just because you are a relative of mine. What do you want me to give you?"     ^16-17Laban had two daughters. Leah was older than Rachel, but her eyes didn't sparkle, ^[i] while Rachel was beautiful and had a good figure. ¹⁸Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he answered, "If you will let me marry Rachel, I'll work seven years for you." ¹⁹Laban replied, "It's better for me to let you marry Rachel than for someone else to have her. So stay and work for me." ²⁰Jacob worked seven years for Laban, but the time seemed like only a few days, because he loved Rachel so much. 
    ²¹Jacob said to Laban, "The time is up, and I want to marry Rachel now!" ²²So Laban gave a big feast and invited all their neighbors. ²³But that evening he brought Leah to Jacob, who married her and spent the night with her. ²⁴Laban also gave Zilpah to Leah as her servant woman. 
    ²⁵The next morning Jacob found out that he had married Leah, and he asked Laban, "Why did you do this to me? Didn't I work to get Rachel? Why did you trick me?" 
    ²⁶Laban replied, "In our country the older daughter must get married first. ²⁷After you spend this week ^[j] with Leah, you may also marry Rachel. But you will have to work for me another seven years." ^28-30At the end of the week of celebration, Laban let Jacob marry Rachel, and he gave her his servant woman Bilhah. Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, but he had to work another seven years for Laban. 
    ³¹The LORD knew that Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, and so he gave children to Leah, but not to Rachel. ³²Leah gave birth to a son and named him Reuben, ^[k] because she said, "The LORD has taken away my sorrow. Now my husband will love me more than he does Rachel." ³³She had a second son and named him Simeon, ^[l] because she said, "The LORD has heard that my husband doesn't love me."³⁴When Leah's third son was born, she said, "Now my husband will hold me close." So this son was named Levi. ^[m] 35She had one more son and named him Judah, ^[n] because she said, "I'll praise the LORD!" 

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 28:2 northern Syria: See the note at 24.10.
2. Genesis 28:6 northern Syria: See the note at 24.10.
3. Genesis 28:9 Nebaioth: Ishmael's oldest son (see 25.13).
4. Genesis 28:12 ladder: Or "stairway."
5. Genesis 28:13 the ladder: Or "Jacob" or "the stairway" (see the note at 28.12).
6. Genesis 28:14 Your family. . . people: Or "All people will ask me to bless them as I have blessed your family."
7. Genesis 28:17 ladder: See the note at 28.12.
8. Genesis 28:19 Bethel: In Hebrew "Bethel" means "House of God."
9. Genesis 29:16 but her eyes didn't sparkle: Or "and her eyes sparkled."
10. Genesis 29:27 this week: The wedding feast lasted for seven days (see Judges 14.12,17).
11. Genesis 29:32 Reuben: In Hebrew "Reuben" means, "Look, a son!"
12. Genesis 29:33 Simeon: In Hebrew "Simeon" sounds like "someone who hears."
13. Genesis 29:34 hold me close. . . Levi: In Hebrew "Levi" sounds like "hold (someone) close."
14. Genesis 29:35 Judah: In Hebrew "Judah" sounds like "praise."

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Matthew 9:18-38 (Contemporary English Version)

A Dying Girl and a Sick Woman

(Mark 5.21-43; Luke 8.40-56)

 ¹⁸While Jesus was still speaking, an official came and knelt in front of him. The man said, "My daughter has just now died! Please come and place your hand on her. Then she will live again."     ¹⁹Jesus and his disciples got up and went with the man. 
    ²⁰A woman who had been bleeding for twelve years came up behind Jesus and barely touched his clothes. ²¹She had said to herself, "If I can just touch his clothes, I will get well." 
    ²²Jesus turned. He saw the woman and said, "Don't worry! You are now well because of your faith." At that moment she was healed. 
    ²³When Jesus went into the home of the official and saw the musicians and the crowd of mourners, ^[a] 24he said, "Get out of here! The little girl isn't dead. She is just asleep." Everyone started laughing at Jesus. ²⁵But after the crowd had been sent out of the house, Jesus went to the girl's bedside. He took her by the hand and helped her up. ²⁶News about this spread all over that part of the country. 
    

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

 ²⁷As Jesus was walking along, two blind men began following him and shouting, "Son of David, ^[b] have pity on us!" ²⁸After Jesus had gone indoors, the two blind men came up to him. He asked them, "Do you believe I can make you well?"    "Yes, Lord," they answered. 
    ²⁹Jesus touched their eyes and said, "Because of your faith, you will be healed." ³⁰They were able to see, and Jesus strictly warned them not to tell anyone about him. ³¹But they left and talked about him to everyone in that part of the country. 
    

Jesus Heals a Man Who Could Not Talk

 ³²As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, some people brought to him a man who could not talk because a demon was in him. ³³After Jesus had forced the demon out, the man started talking. The crowds were so amazed that they began saying, "Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!"     ³⁴But the Pharisees said, "The leader of the demons gives him the power to force out demons." 
    

Jesus Has Pity on People

 ³⁵Jesus went to every town and village. He taught in their meeting places and preached the good news about God's kingdom. Jesus also healed every kind of disease and sickness. ³⁶When he saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them. They were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷He said to his disciples, "A large crop is in the fields, but there are only a few workers. ³⁸Ask the Lord in charge of the harvest to send out workers to bring it in."     

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 9:23 the crowd of mourners: The Jewish people often hired mourners for funerals.
2. Matthew 9:27 Son of David: The Jewish people expected the Messiah to be from the family of King David, and for this reason the Messiah was often called the "Son of David."

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Psalm 11:1-7 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 11

(A psalm by David for the music leader.)

Trusting the LORD

 ¹The LORD is my fortress!    Don't say to me, 
   "Escape like a bird 
   to the mountains!" 
    ²You tell me, "Watch out! 
   Those evil people 
   have put 
   their arrows on their bows, 
   and they are standing 
   in the shadows, 
   aiming at good people. 
    ³What can an honest person do 
   when everything crumbles?" 
    ⁴The LORD is sitting 
   in his sacred temple 
   on his throne in heaven. 
   He knows everything we do 
   because he sees us all. 
    ⁵The LORD tests honest people, 
   but despises those 
   who are cruel 
   and love violence. 
    ⁶He will send fiery coals ^[a] and flaming sulfur 
   down on the wicked, 
   and they will drink nothing 
   but a scorching wind. 
    ⁷The LORD always does right 
   and wants justice done. 
   Everyone who does right 
   will see his face. 
    

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 11:6 fiery coals: Or " trouble, fire."

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Proverbs 3:11-12 (Contemporary English Version)

¹¹My child, don't turn away 
   or become bitter 
   when the LORD corrects you. 
    ¹²The LORD corrects 
   everyone he loves, 
   just as parents correct 
   their favorite child. 

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Verse of the Day

“What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And he has given us the work of sharing his message about peace. We were sent to speak for Christ, and God is begging you to listen to our message. We speak for Christ and sincerely ask you to make peace with God.” - 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

 

Influential spiritual teacher of the early to mid-20th century, George I. Gurdjieff wrote, “Knowledge and understanding are quite different. Only understanding can lead to being, whereas knowledge is but a passing presence in it.”